Finding Your Unique Voice

Your writer's voice is the unique fingerprint you leave on your work. It's a combination of your syntax, diction, punctuation, character development, and dialogue. But most of all, it's the feeling a reader gets that you, and no one else, could have written this piece.

In this lesson, we will explore several techniques to help you uncover and refine your voice:

• Freewriting: The practice of writing continuously without regard for grammar or spelling.
• Reading Aloud: Hearing your words can reveal awkward phrasing and unnatural dialogue.
• Analyzing Authors You Admire: Deconstruct what makes their voice so compelling.

The Myth of the Single Voice

Many writers believe they must find one singular voice and stick to it. This is a misconception. Your voice can and should adapt to the genre, tone, and characters of the story you are telling. A hard-boiled detective novel will have a different voice than a whimsical children's book, even if written by the same author.